No 14698, Friday 23 Jan 2026, Incognito

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

ACROSS

1   Unpaid? Super! (11)

9   Swears on affidavit typed hastily, for starters, and signs finally (5)

10 Prudent to go around country with Romeo and Lothario (9)

11 Misleading clue for "Sacred ornament worn by her after removing pouch" (3,7)

12 Wiki wrongly spelt bird (4)

13 Fine cotton thread from large island (5)

15 Excitedly petting around end of arm and seducing (8)

17 Talking without a bandage (8)

19 Boy leaves river submerging girl's animal (5)

22 Uncovered part of menu deleted (4)

23 No place to die inside the house (6-4)

26 Savage baron is in front of funny Arabian carrying redhead (9)

27 Prod guardsmen giving up arms and running (5)

28 Little dog with European mother's mother consumed fruit (11)

DOWN

1   Chose operation to explore deep initially (5)

2   Seattle preparation on ship is insipid (9)

3   Worst construction around eastern skyscrapers (6)

4   Named person... one jumping around pit (7)

5   Charged particles found in onion skin (4)

6   Going, consuming small sip, and indulging in idle talk (9)

7   Rolls Royce is parked in fuel enclosure (6)

8   Is making a mistake placing ornament behind queen (6)

14 Policeman's stake-out near road wrongly taped person... Not on! (5,4)

16 A label fixed in piano built in South American region (9)

17 European carrying university boy's flower (6)

18 Perhaps, transfixing top class fish behind end of barn (7)

20 The Desert Fox starting to march in capital with trainee (6)

21 Flower from Zulu hostelry is available in the beginning (6)

24 Historically popular song, perhaps, in soldier's heart (5)

25 Moderately hot conflict with maiden (4)